uproot indifference

The Freedom Project spent their Friday night out last week, this time at Light of Love Mission Church in Pasadena. Shown left they are having a time of worship after hearing stories from inside the jails, learning more about the plight of our youth incarcerated and seeing a video of Armando, recently released from jail himself. The goal of this night was to get them thinking about people they know at school or know of who may be headed down the same path. As Christians, we can't turn our back to those caught up in sin. Jesus didn't walk away from the woman caught in adultery, right? He said it's not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. So we talked about what that looks like today in our schools, on our streets and across the globe into places war torn like Sierra Leone (showed another short video about child soldiers in that country)

We broke into small groups for discussion...what is the opposite of indifference, we asked. They learned just how messed up these kids lives were like when they came out of incarceration and how slim of a chance they have at success...it definitely opened their eyes. It was great for us too, because we realized how important it is for us to do what God is calling us to do.
With opposition ongoing, we need constant reminders of why we are here, doing what we are doing!

And then they danced! "Rise up and spark a Holy culture" the words were blasting through the church, they were screaming, our dancers as you can see are dancing. We went out with Night of Missions and Kings Kids from our base, so it was great to have a chance to work with some people we don't normally get to do outreach with......I don't suppose I will know all the things accomplished that evening...but that is ok...i know a few...it was good, it was very good!

Rescue me...

I have been working all week on this project...God kept leading me to this song by U2, Love Rescue Me. Going through all these inmate interviews, pulling from them what I guess you would call the meat of their stories..I am hoping this project is the beginning of a movement. I think of it right now as the "Rescue me campaign." Love rescue me? God is love and I do need Him to rescue me everyday! And you? Any different? What do you need rescued from today, busyness, depression, hurt & pain, a life of sin, loneliness, or maybe the big piece of chocolate cake in your fridge!

Freedom Project - Walk-A-Thon!

Freedom Project had our 2nd annual Walk-A-Thon! This time with the help of LAPD's Jeopardy and LAPD's Explorer programs!
Here are some pics of the event...they marched from the foothill division of LAPD to our YWAM campus in Lakeview Terrace and then all came together for hot dogs, chips and football! These are both kids from the freedom project team, court ordered kids into the jeopardy program because of drugs/gang issues, and youth aspiring to be involved in law enforcement! All marching together for one purpose, to send a message that drugs and gangs are not an option in our city. It was a huge blessing for our staff who work with some of these youth week after week and wonder, "are they making an impact?" God revealed to them each, individually that he is at work in ways they cannot imagine, but he surely gave them a glimpse on this day! Let's here it for unity in the city!

having our peace disturbed...

With days and days of riots, and 2 deaths in the county jail system where Micah is it seems like many in our city are feeling the effects of having our peace disturbed. There is increased violence...and mass segregation, lock down county-wide. These are the latest headlines here in our county jail system, and with thousands rioting that can be a huge problem for the Sheriff. But an even greater problem for those on the inside, already living in turmoil. As I watch the boys getting out of juvenile hall, now becoming men, go in the revolving door of county jail, almost as if in rhythm, I can see that there is no peace in their life. It is so hard to communicate just how crazy it is on the inside, and that's on a good day. I broke down in tears as I heard that one inmate was stomped to death, I think what broke my heart the most is the lingering question, who will cry for him? Who will stand in the gap for these, many who are not even sentenced yet, innocent until proven guilty? Not in this system. I know to well how one can end up in the system, it's like a black hole, it swallows you up, and you are lost. I work every week with youth who are given a sentence of 1 year, but I know in my heart they will serve that one year with the rest of their lives. What is said about this system by some is true, it perpetuates the problem. Interviewing young inmates one after another again last night, my peace was disturbed. How do I rest, knowing what I know? Matthew, Chapter 11, verse 28! Jesus says "come to me and I will give you rest" So when I come to Him, I learn from Him and find out that He himself is our peace, Ephesians 2:14. And about justice? Psalms 9:16 says "The Lord is known by his justice." His justice, looks different. I know, I am a product of that. He looked at my life and sentenced me to what seemed fitting, he used the courts to impose the sentence I received, His hand moved the system, and I knew it. I know in all of this my peace is disturbed so that I will be moved to action on behalf of the poor, the imprisoned, the marginalized in our city, the youth under siege. Please pray for the youth incarcerated in our nation...as you read an excerpt from an interview last night....

"I am 18, and incarcerated. My dad was a heroin addict so the only person i had was my mom and she did her best she was always working right now, and my dad is in jail. But i am not angry at him it was the drug that did that to him. I feel like I was missing out on love from my Dad. I was afraid of him, he scared me. I grew up in East LA - i grew up as a follower of gangs because my family was already into them.. I was officially jumped when I was 12 and have been arrested 7 times. I am in now for 9 months. I don't have a safe place to go when I get out, not really, no."

Freedom Project - turns your campus....

There they are at Biola University last weekend...dancing for 700 middle/high schoolers! Time to get them pumped up about campus evangelism. Freedom Project is evolving again and I have to say I love this ministry...it is annointed. The young people loved them and the room was full of energy! They can dance and they can climb trees! Way to go!

trials like ours? No..not quite!

Today I am overwhelmed with my responsibilities here and in the city...but, once again, I can't help but give thanks because I look at the young men we are working with, created and loved by God, and I know that no matter what I face, they face more because their trials are NOT like ours. One wrong move for them, and they are gone for years. Prison time is always hanging over their heads. We have had Armando out at the base a little last week and all this week. He slipped. He is on shaky ground and he needs alot of prayer. Today as he awoke at my place, he said God led him to the Psalms. Psalms 1 - Don't sit, walk and stand with the them! (them being the old friends he used drugs with) The very message we had been giving him for weeks. He must not go back to his old friends, and this is a weakness for him. Last time I wrote, it seemed his mom was very supportive. As time as gone by, we see that has not been the case as we had been led to believe. So we, the church, are becoming his family. He has 7 years prison time hanging over his head. Please pray as he is here working until he can get an I.D. to get a real job. He worked on our Freedom Project set a bit...and played games with the family here are a few pictures of this...armando has shared nothing about his childhood was normal. I know what the past year has been like for him, drugs, crime & lock-up. Please pray for him to obey God's voice because he is hearing him speak. Thanks!


Micah had court this week and this is surely another situation where i can say no, this is not a trial like ours! He was offered a very sweet deal, but turned it down. So as we vowed to stand by him through each day in court, it began to look more and more discouraging. We realized that everyone in the courtroom looked at Micah and saw a guilty man, but we saw a forgiven man. I dare to say that very few have the kind of support that Micah had been given and the District Attorney, Bar Panel Lawyer, Judge, Bailiff, and Private Investigator all saw this. We continue to show this city & county that we mean business when we stand by our young men. Well as of today, he caved and took the deal. It was the best option for him, now we wait and see for the remaining trial downtown. He still has many years possibly hanging over his head with an additional strike...in California that is a dangerous place to be. Plus he will be going to state prison which is infested with gang activity. He has come a long way and I am afraid his trials have only begun, we must pray that Micah will stay tender to God and strong. Like many of the young men we mentor on Friday nights, this is their lives, these are their trials...not like ours, not at all. The stories, how they got this way, well, that varies. One thing that doesn't change, they want a chance, they want to believe there is hope for them, too, but there afraid. Afraid, they'll get hurt again. Funny, the ones we are afraid of are really afraid of us....
trials like ours? no..not quite!